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Beatrice of Savoy
Beatrice of Savoy (1205 - January 4, 1267) was the daughter of [[Thomas I, Count of Savoy|'Thomas I of Savoy']] and [[Margaret of Geneva|'Margaret of Geneva']]. She was Countess consort of Provence by her marriage to [[Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence|'Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence']]. 'Family' Her paternal grandparents were [[Umberto III, Count of Savoy|'Humbert III, Count of Savoy']] and Beatrice of Viennois. Her maternal grandparents were [[William I of Geneva|'William I, Count of Geneva']] and Beatrice de Faucigny. Beatrice of Savoy's mother, Margaret was bethrothed to [[Philip II of France|'Philip II of France']]. While Margaret was travelling to France for her wedding, she was captured by Beatrice's father, Thomas. He took her back to Savoy and married her himself. Thomas' excuse was the Philip II was already married, which was true. Beatrice was the tenth of fourteen children born to her parents. Her siblings included: [[Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy|'Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy']]; [[Thomas, Count of Flanders|'Thomas II of Piedmont']]; [[Peter II, Count of Savoy|'Peter II, Count of Savoy']]; [[Philip I, Count of Savoy|'Philip I, Count of Savoy']]; [[Boniface of Savoy|'Boniface of Savoy, Archbishop of Canterbury']], Avita the Countess of Devon and Margherita of Savoy wife of Hartmann I of Kyburg. 'Marriage' Beatrice betrothed on June 5, 1219 to Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence; they married in December 1220. She was a shrewd and politically astute woman, whose beauty was likened to that of a second Niobe by Matthew Paris. Ramon and Beatrice of Savoy had four daughters, who all lived to adulthood, and married kings. Their only son, Raymond died in early infancy. *[[Margaret of Provence|'Margaret, Queen of France']] - (1221 - 1295) wife of [[Louis IX of France|'Louis IX of France']]. *[[Eleanor of Provence|'Eleanor, Queen of England']] - (1223 - 1291) wife of [[Henry III of England|'Henry III of England']]. *[[Sanchia of Provence|'Sanchia, Queen of Germany']] - (1228 - 1261) wife of [[Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall|'Richard, Earl of Cornwall']]. *'Beatrice, Queen of Sicily' (1234 - 1267), wife of [[Charles I of Naples|'Charles I of Sicily']]. *'Raymond of Provence' - died young. Beatrice, came to England to see her third daughter Sanchia wedded to Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, brother-in-law of Eleanor. Beatrice's husband Ramon Berenguer IV was detained by state difficulties which his wife solved by getting a loan from her son-in-law Henry III of four thousand marks. 'Widowhood' When Berenguer had died on August 19, 1245, he left Provence to his youngest daughter. Beatrice's daughter and namesake then became one of the most attractive heiresses in medieval Europe. Various suitors had tried to seize her, so Beatrice of Savoy placed the younger Beatrice in a safe fortress, secured the trust of its people then went to the Pope for his protection. In Cluny during December 1245, a secret discussion, between Pope Innocent IV, Louis IX of France, his mother [[Blanche of Castile|'Blanche of Castile']] and his brother, [[Charles I of Naples|'Charles of Anjou']], took place. It was decided that in return for Louis IX supporting the Pope militarily, the Pope would allow Charles of Anjou, youngest brother to the French King, to marry Beatrice of Provence. But Provence was to never go to them; if there was no issue, then the county would go to Sanchia of Provence. If Sanchia died without an heir, Provence would go to the King of Aragon. Beatrice of Savoy was granted the usufruct of the county of Provence for her lifetime, according to her husband's will. Beatrice outlived her third daughter Sanchia and came close to outliving her youngest daughter Beatrice, who died months after her mother (Beatrice the elder died in January, Beatrice the younger died in September). Beatrice of Savoy died on January 4, 1267. Category:Direct Ancestors Category:Ancestors in 13th Century Category:House of Savoy Category:House of Aragon Category:French Nobility Category:French Ancestors